110 COFFEE CULTIVATION AND MANURING. 
MastTEeR :—There is another operation called prun- 
ing: what have you to say about that? 
‘’REE :—There is no use talking about pruning until 
I see how you make use of the lesson I have just 
given you. If that is made use of there will be some- 
ihing to prune, and I may be inclined to hold another 
conversation with you on that head by and bye, and 
I hope I shall not then have to sign myself 
A SHuck CoFFEE TREE, 
A CONVERSATION WITH A COFFEE TREE 
WHICH WAS NOT SHUCK. 
Master (to A COFFEE TREE NEAR THE Lins) :—I 
am very glad to see you in such good health. You 
are not like one of your relations I had a conversa- 
tion with a short time ago, and I should lke to 
know how you keep in such a good state of health, 
while others of your relations not far from here are 
so very poorly. I have been feeding them every 
now and then, but they don’t appear to derive much 
benefit from the food I give them, and I don’t recol- 
Jeet ever having given you the smallest particle of 
food at any time, still you always appear to keep in 
good health. 
TREE :—You are perfectly right. You have never 
given me food, but I get food in another way, and 
in a way that suits me better than the way you give 
food. If all food was given to my relations in the 
same way that I get mine, you would see them thrive 
better on what you do give them. I get my food 
all on the surface of the ground, and there is a great 
deal goes to waste; myself and my friends can’t con- 
sume the whole of what is deposited here, and we 
do wish sometimes that our poor relations could get 
at what we don’t want. 
Master :—Is there no possibility of the food you 
have in excess being conveyed to your poor starving 
relations ? 
TREE :—Yes: if I should tell you how to doit, I 
am afraid you will take all from me, and give to 
those you think want it more than I do. 
Master :—I can’t know what others may do, but 
as long as I have anything to do with you I pro- 
mise you shall get your fair share of food, and in the 
way you want it, if you will only tell me how I 
can get the food you have in excess. 
TreE :—I think I may tell you without fear. Do 
you see those lines? Examine them, and you will find 
there is no W. ©. to them. The consequence is that 
every person has to find a W. C. for himself, and 
